Mob vandalises Muslim homes in Assam’s Kokrajhar after suspected cow meat found
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A mob allegedly vandalised homes belonging to Muslim families in Kokrajhar on Wednesday after suspected cow meat and animal skin were found near a residence in Nayasara village, triggering tensions in the area.
According to officials, the unrest began after the suspected meat was discovered in a local resident’s courtyard. While some locals claimed it was deliberately placed, others suggested it may have come from a nearby wedding feast.
Soon after, a group targeted houses of Muslim residents, damaging property. Videos circulating on social media showed people breaking structures and throwing objects in a residential area, reportedly in the presence of police personnel.
Authorities said the situation has since been brought under control, with heavy police deployment to prevent further escalation. Seven persons, including four men and three women, have been detained for questioning.
Officials said no injuries or fatalities have been reported, and an investigation is underway to determine the origin of the suspected meat and identify those involved in the violence.
The incident comes amid concerns over recurring cow-related vigilantism in parts of the Bodoland Territorial Region, which has a history of ethnic and communal tensions.
The region has witnessed major violence in the past, including the 2014 attacks linked to the National Democratic Front of Bodoland faction that left over 30 people dead, and the 2012 Kokrajhar clashes that killed more than 100 people and displaced nearly 400,000, mostly from the Muslim community.